Disguising Broken Lives
by French Toast Mafia
Summary: Claire's life is falling apart around her. Everything she thought was stable, tumbles. But when a part of her old life turns up, what will happen? Do the people who think they know her, really know her at all? Please R&R!  Involves own character


I'm sat at the end of my bed, knees drawn closely to my chest, which is still shaking, trying to fight back the tears. I wasn't very successful. Black mascara tracks criss-cross across my cheeks, red swollen eyes still not dry from the hours of crying. The reason for my misery lands in one word.

_Shane._

We had ended up arguing. Again. But this time it had been _a lot_ worse. The memory replays itself in my exhausted brain, not stopping, no matter how hard I try.

_*Start Flashback*_

"_Hello! Any one home" I called from the front door, dumping my bulky bag on the floor with a thump. Night has settled over Morganville now, I'm late, but not majorly. _

"_Ahh. The brainiac returns" Shane replies from the kitchen. I smile at the thought of seeing him after an especially hard day at Myrnin's lab. I follow his voice to find him leant against the kitchen counter, arms crossed, seriousness plastered all over his face. _

"_Shane, what's wrong?" walking up to him, instantly worried about what has made him seem so... defensive? I reach out to place a hand on his muscled arm. _

"_What time do you call this Claire? I've been worried sick!" he jumps up, sending me stumbling back in surprise._

"_I know I'm late, I'm sorry. I would have called but my phones out of battery and-"he cuts me off._

"_So what would have happened if a vamp had decided to have an early snack, hey? We wouldn't have a clue what was going on, and all because your _phone was out of battery_." I knew he was right; it's the first thing written in the Morganville Survival Guide. _

"_I know, it was stupid and dangerous of me. It won't happen again, Scouts honour." I held up my three middle fingers in a salute, hoping that he will let it go. _

"_I can't wait around for you all of the time. Wondering when you're going to come home, _if _you're going to come home. Having to fit my life around yours. It's just too much." I held my breath, knowing where this was going, and desperately wanting it to turn around. Not trusting my voice, knowing it will crack before I would be able to get the first word out, I stay silent. "I feel, over the last months, we've drifted apart, becoming sucked into our own lives. And to be honest, I'm glad. It was good while it lasted, but it would never last. It was just a bit of fun in all of the chaos." My strong armour shatters, and the first of many _many_ tears starts to fall. I attempt to protest, I couldn't let him get away this easily, not without a fight. _

"_Shane..." he cuts me off._

"_No Claire. It's over. I think it's best if we're just friends. See you around." He realises that he isn't going to get a response out of me, so leaves out of the front door, that I had 5 minutes ago walked through. How those 5 minutes had changed my live. _

_I regain feeling in my body, and charge up the stairs, tripping on the last step, and end up sprawled over the corridor. My fuzzy vision, from the constant stream of tears, really isn't helping in the slightest, but finally I find myself huddled in a ball on my bed; a position which I haven't left for 4 hours. _

_*End Flashback*_

For the last hours, all emotions possible have had their time in the lime light; sadness, anger, jealously, relief, frustration, and then they repeat themselves, leaving me worn out.

Not bothering to get changed, I flop backwards, so I'm lying on my back, and allow my thoughts to cloud over my vision. The sadness is still there, I will always love Shane in my heart, no matter how much he hurts me, but it has been quenched considerably since he broke up with me. Replaced with understanding, his words had truth, we_ had _drifted apart recently. So maybe this was for the best.

I fall deeply into slumber, a soft smile spreading across my face.

_Maybe it wouldn't be that bad after all?_


End file.
